• Thu. Mar 28th, 2024

North East Connected

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Colourful Characters Make Walk To School Sparkle

sustainFRANKENSTEIN, the Queen and a Roman soldier will add a touch of magic to the school walk next week.

They’re among a colourful cast of characters joining youngsters as part of Walking to School Week.

The project – from Monday, May 18 to Friday, May 22 – has been organised by One Planet Middlesbrough in partnership with Tees Valley Arts.

The aim is to highlight the benefits of walking to school, helping youngsters get more physical exercise and making their schools safer places for all.

A creative writer has been working with pupils from Corpus Christi, Archibald, Newham Bridge, Linthorpe and The Avenue Primary Schools to write a story about who they would most like to walk to school with.

The stories have been judged and a character from the winning story will walk to school with the pupil and their class mates during Walking to School Week.

The pupils have also worked with a costume designer to make parts of a costume for when they walk to school with the character.

One Planet Middlesbrough project officer Margaret Tonkin said: “Walking to school is an all-round win-win activity.

“National studies have shown that children who walk to school are more alert and ready to learn, which improves learning and attainment.

“It is also a fun way to spend some more quality time with family and friends and an easy way of achieving the recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity.

“The more children who walk to school and aren’t dropped off in the car also reduces the number of cars on the roads around schools, making them safer and nicer places to be.

“The children have thoroughly enjoyed working with Neil and Shirley and created some wonderful stories and costumes.

“You can see how excited and engaged they are with the idea of walking to school more.”

By admin